Hairpin



April 28, 1925. 1,535,355

S. TANAKA HAIRPIN Filed April 2, 1924 INVENTOR 507020 Tq/vfi K4 BY axe MW ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES.

SO'IOZO TANAKA, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

HAIRPIN.

Application filed April 2, 1924. Serial No. 703,722.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, So'rozo TANAKA, a subject of the Emperor of Japan, and a resident of Seattle, King County, Washington, have 6 invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Hairpiu's, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hair pins and has for its principal object to provide a hair pin wherein the two prongs are joined at the base by means of a spring which acts to hold them normally clamped together to prevent their working from the hair and being lost.

Another object of the invention is to provide hair pins of the above type wherein there are gripping or handle portions formed adjacentthe spring which may be pressed together to thereby spread the prongs so as to release them from the-hair in order that the pin maybe withdrawn.

A still further object resides in the novel construction of the prongs whereby they are caused to cross each other at a plurality of points to form intermediate spaces in which strands of hair will be held and which retain the pins more securely in place.

Other objects of the invention reside in various details of construction as will here- 30 inafter be described and illustrated in'the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hair pin constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the prongs spread ll apart.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is an edge view showing the crossed relation of the prongs.

Referring more in detail to the draw- 0 ings 1 designates, in its entirety, a hair pin constructed in accordance with the present invention, which preferably would be made from a single strand of springiron bent or coiled spirally at the center to form a spring 2 at the base of'the pin. The two end portions of the iron form the prongs 3 and 4 of the pin which extends substantially in parallel relation and are joined in a sort of 0 zigzag manner so that when they are clamped together they will cross each other in a plurality of places and will provide intermediate pockets, as at 5, wherein the strands of hair will be held.

At their base ends, the prongs extend beyond the spring coil 2 along opposite sides thereof and are then turned backwardly upon themselves and continue into the spring coil. This construction provides two spaced gripping or handle portions 6 and 7 which may be pressed together to thereby spring the prongs 3 and 4 apart so that the pin may be withdrawn from the hair. The two prongs are oil-set inwardly adjacent the inner side of the spring, as at 8, so that when in use in the hair, they will clamp together throughout the greater part of their length.

To apply the pin, the handle portions are pressed together to spring the prongs apart and after they have been lnserted in the hair they are released and due to the action of the spring 2, will be clamped together. As the prongs come together the hair is separated into strands which are held within the pockets 5 between the prongs and this serves to prevent the pins from working out.

It is readily apparent that pins of this character could be made in various sizes and that changes in the details of construction could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and for this reason I do not wish to be limited only to the details illustrated.

Having thus described In invention, what I claim as new therein an desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

A hair pin formed from a single strand of Wire comprising substantially arallel prongs joined at the base of the pm by a coiled spring whereby the prongs are held yieldably together with their ends in straight alinement; said prongs being bent back and forth along their outer portions so as to cross each-other at a plurality of points and along their inner portions being extended beyond the spring portion to form handles that may be pressed together to cause the prongs to spread apart.

Signed at Seattle, King County, Washington, this 27th day of March 1924.

SOTOZO TANAKA. 

